Maybe they’re traveling on someone else’s dime.

Employee incentive programs, often including lavish travel, are booming. Studies have shown the vast majority of workers enjoying annual salary increases and/or bonuses often just kick their lifestyle up a notch while not necessarily changing work habits or drive. Hence, the afterglow of a salary increase quickly passes. On the flipside, non-cash incentive programs like employee incentive travel programs stimulate the soul and inspire already high-performing employees to “up their game” to achieve even higher levels of excellence.

The Incentive Research Foundation (IRF), based in McLean, VA, is a group whose mission is to “fund and promote research to advance the science, enhance the awareness, and improve the appropriate application of motivation and incentives in business globally. A study released in 2017 revealed nearly 40% of U.S. businesses now use incentive travel in some manner to reward and recognize their top-performing employees, salespeople, and channel partners”. Cost per person is increasing, also. One-third of companies will spend $3,000-4,000 per-person, while nearly 40% will spend $4,000 or more.

A more recent IFC study released last month said, “Whether driven by safety and security concerns, or simply by a more travel-seasoned population, unique and offbeat destinations continue to gather popularity”. Incentive travel planners are interested in, and more willing to consider, new and different destinations because “these areas are seen as having similar ‘brag power’ and equal ‘wow factor’ to their bigger, greater known counterparts”.

Another trend in employee incentive travel programs is a multi-tiered award structure. For instance, those who meet and exceed annual performance goals by 10% or more qualify for a Power Trip while those who meet and exceed annual goals by a factor of 50% or higher earn a spot in the President’s Club which can play out as a more exotic location, a hefty gift card, or days tacked on to the standard Power Trip.

With this in mind, here are five unique destinations to consider for your next employee incentive program; locations sure to generate great experiences and memories, not to mention motivating your team to reach higher for increasing levels of excellence:

CROATIA: Go Island Hopping!

Long considered the “Jewel of the Adriatic Sea”, Croatia is a 1,200-island archipelago begging for exploration. Historically, travel between these individual jewels has been restrictive; limited to expensive private yacht charters or public transportation via unreliable ferries. Hence, the best of Croatia may yet to have been truly explored.

Until recently, that is …

In 2018, UberBOAT is expected to broaden its range of destinations in Croatia, making many of the isles readily available to explore and enjoy at a reasonable price. The app-based, on-water, ride-sharing service began operating in Croatia last summer and is rapidly gaining in popularity.

Among the most popular stops along the Dalmation Coast is hilly and stony Šolta which, in the past, has been overlooked in favor of splashier neighbors such as Bra? or Hvar. As a result, the isle has remained naturally pristine.

You’ll find pebble beaches, lush foliage, and turquoise-azure waters, as well as ancient villages, rich wine-making regions, and family-run olive farms and purveyors of some of the world’s finest olive oils. When the sun sets over Maslinica Bay, it’s time to check out the island’s array of stylish beach clubs, seaside bars, and open-air dining venues.

EUROPEAN RIVER CRUISE: “ … Oo-ee, oo-ee, baby! Won’t ya let me take you on a (river) cruise?”

Unlike ocean cruising which includes 2-3 days at sea when passengers are limited to onboard activities, European river cruises include stops each day with ground excursions readily available. If the goal of your cruise experience is to learn and experience new locales versus relax and chill, river cruises are a great option for your incentive group.

A few lines offer a la carte shore excursions at incremental prices but most build daytime sightseeing stops into the overall cruise package. These activities can range from exploring ancient castles, bike riding through towns and cities along the route, walking tours, museums, boutique shopping, wine- and food-tastings, motor coach tours, etc. Some lines offer higher-end evening activities at an additional fee, such as culinary classes, art classes, concerts, symphony, etc.

Most river cruises are a week in duration, allowing enough time to experience three countries along either the Rhine or the Danube rivers. Cruises typically start in Amsterdam, Budapest or Paris, and package pricing is based on number of cruisers with smaller groups of 50-100 costing more than ships carrying up to 200 passengers; as well as the availability of premium onboard offerings like spa treatment rooms, workout facilities, etc. Typically, the high season for European river cruises is April-October.

BELMOND GRAND HIBERNIAN: Ride the O’Rails through Ireland!

If you’re enamored with Ireland’s romantic history and rich culture, not to mention its beautiful scenery, the latest entry to Belmond’s stable of spectacular rail offerings – the Belmond Grand Hibernian – is sounding the All Aboard! to you and your employee incentive travel group. (Hibernian is an ancient Latin word for Ireland and this sparking new member of the fleet will whisk you around the Emerald Isle in high style.)

With outstanding culinary offerings, live entertainment (including glorious Irish story-telling and sing-alongs) and luxury train accommodations, the Belmond Grand Hibernian promises to make memorable experiences your ultimate destination. Belmond has quite a, er, “track record” with proven lines such as the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE), Edinburgh’s Royal Scotsman, Eastern & Oriental Express, British Pullman and Britain’s Northern Belle. The Grand Hibernian may be its best effort yet.

Take your pick from three different routes:

• Realm of Giants (two nights): Dublin-Belfast-Portrush-Dublin
• Legends & Loughs (four nights): Dublin-Cork-Killarney-Galway-Westport-Dublin
• Grand Tour of Ireland (six nights): This option combines the two shorter options above with golf junkets available along the way.

Belmond Grand Hibernian’s season runs from April-October.

MACHU PICCHU (PERU): Deliver a Peak Experience!

Machu Picchu, in the Peruvian Andres, is one of the most fascinating destinations any globetrotter could enjoy. The last stronghold of the mighty Inca Empire at the “peak” of its standing in the 15^th and 16^th centuries, Machu Picchu is a special (some say sacred) experience for travelers.

From the local Quechua language, Machu Picchu translates to “old peak” for the broad-based mountain that towers into a series of rocky, jagged peaks near the city of Cuzco. It is considered an extraordinary archeological site and, since 2007, has been listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Machu Picchu’s stone walls, terraces, stairways and ramps are seamlessly integrated into its natural setting. Finely crafted hardscape, a sophisticated irrigation system (for the age), and terraced fields speak to the Incans’ ahead-of-their-time architectural, agricultural and engineering expertise. Buildings were constructed using a masonry technique in which stones were cut to fit perfectly together without any sort of mortar or binding agent. The fit is so tight and seamless, cracks can’t be penetrated by something as thin as a knife blade.

Hundreds of thousands of tourists and pilgrims journey to Machu Picchu each year.  Maybe it’s time for you to see what all the buzz is about!

NEW ZEALAND: Keep Calm and Kiwi On

In a curious twist of irony, the perfectly respectful term “Kiwi”, used to describe those born in New Zealand, comes from a flightless bird called a Kiwi. Might we be so lucky to be able to go flightless and still visit spectacular and fascinating New Zealand (made up of the North Island and South Island). Yes, it’s a haul to get there – even aloft at 600 MPH, but once you arrive, you’ll forget about the dozen-and-a-half time-zones between Auckland and the East Coast of the U.S.

New Zealand is a nature lover’s nirvana with breath-taking snow-capped peaks, crystal clear coves, fish-filled rivers, coastal glaciers, fjords, and rainforests. Rotorua features one of the world’s largest geothermal areas where visitors can see, up-close, the mighty natural forces that created a landscape of bubbling mud ponds and hissing springs.

Wellington, the capital city on the North Island, is home to Te Papa Tongarewa, the expansive national museum, and dramatic Mt. Victoria. On the South Island, visitors find Fiordland and the Southern Lakes which provided the setting for the mythical Middle Earth in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films.

There are myriad options for high-octane sporting activity — whitewater rafting, luging, jet boating, heli-skiing, skydiving, and mountain biking. For the true adventurist, there’s Nevis Bungy Platform, a 440-foot-high bungee jump location outside Queensland. A glass-floored observation platform even allows spectators to enjoy the experience – without taking the plunge.

These are but five of many, many unique destinations for consideration when it comes time to plan your organization’s next employee incentive travel program. Bon voyage!

CONCLUSION

Step away from the familiar and consider someplace truly exotic for your organization’s next employee incentive travel program.

Related Posts:

1. It’s All About the Destination – 1st Quarter
2. Best Incentive Program Destinations for April, May, and June
3. Top Destinations for July, August, and September Incentive Programs
4. Unique Incentive Programs for October, November, and December
5. Up, Up, and Away! – The Guest Experience

The post 5 unique destinations for your next employee incentive travel program appeared first on dynami.

By now, we’ve all heard of (and seen, yikes!) the mind-blowing string of customer service, ahem, missteps involving airlines and travelers. United Airlines’ oust-a-paying-passenger incident, American Airlines’ yank-a-stroller-and-strike-a-Mom scene, All Nippon Airways’ duke-it-out-in-coach Texas Cage Match. And in just the past few days, an inflight fight on Southwest Airlines, and a brawl in the terminal at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

And the list goes mercilessly on, giving all-new meaning to “fight or flight”.

“I’ll be your Flight (Non)Attendant …”

I even took time recently to pen a complaint letter to the Customer Service department of an airline I fly on a regular basis after personally experiencing a takeoff-to-landing litany of rudeness from the cabin crew I’d never seen before.

This one was a tad tamer and less felonious than the above fiascos but it did involve basic customer-service “fails” such as: no eye contact, greeting or smiles at boarding, flight attendants snapping at passengers, flight attendants arguing amongst themselves, flight attendants criticizing passengers openly and audibly, flight attendants criticizing airline equipment, flight attendants not being what flight attendants should be: Safety stewards and hospitable hosts as you journey hither and yon, often at great expense.

(Having said that, the abhorrent ones we see and hear about in the sensation-fueled news media are the few bad apples that taint the entire barrel of hard-working professionals. They are definitely the exception, not the rule.)

But that’s not what I want to address today. What I do want to talk about is turbulence of a different sort.
This turbulence doesn’t involve emotional headwinds, fistfights, finger-pointing, or passengers being forcibly removed though it does involve airlines. And Mother Nature. And the unpredictable failure of various and sundry mechanical parts.

It’s inevitable in the meetings and events business — which involves significant air travel, living half your life in hotel rooms, and dining in out-of-town restaurants more often than grilling out at home – that you’ll encounter this type of scenario.

(An aside: “You have such a glamorous life!”, they say. But things aren’t always as they seem though I still love what I do.)

Recently, I was managing a corporate incentive travel program for a client that involved about 140 top-performing sales professionals/business owners and their guests. Among countless others, I had two flights – both originating in a western city (that shall remain nameless because it would give away the carrier) – inbounding to Charlotte where both groups would connect on a single flight to the proverbial sun & fun of Aruba which bills itself as One Happy Island.

Well, Mother Nature wasn’t one happy girl that day. At least not out west.

One group experienced weather delays but still managed to make their connection by the narrowest of margins. Whew! Meanwhile, my other group was delayed by a mechanical and wasn’t so lucky; looking at an unplanned, overnight stay in Charlotte and apparently lopping one night off the luxury vacation trip they’d worked so hard to earn.

The airline wanted the stranded group to be immediately flown to Miami and overnighted there because there were no seats available on the CLT-AUA route the next morning but there were seats available on flights originating in Miami the next day. Thus, their outbound journey ended up being Dallas-Charlotte-Miami-Aruba. Glamorous, right?

Sailors will tell you, “You can’t direct the wind but you can adjust the sails.” The same is true whether you’re navigating the Seven Seas or the Heavens above. “Stuff” happens. It’s a fact. It’s how you deal with the inevitable “stuff” that matters.

I share this with you because I want to emphasize the importance of utilizing a corporate-focused travel agent who is a true travel professional vs. a basic travel agency (in-house or otherwise) whose prime motivation is transactions and the $30-50 fee they earn for every passenger booked. Corporate travel agents who focus primarily on corporate incentive travel programs are 100% dedicated to delivering a superior guest experience every step of the way.

At dynami, we only use a trusted corporate travel agent, Uniglobe VIP, when managing incentives or other programs involving air travel. There are simply too many potential pitfalls in an age of terrorism concerns, much stricter safety measures, unpredictable TSA lines, frustrated fliers, and airline employees that too often forget their assigned roles and devolve into something from Elm Street.

Uh-oh, something’s up …

When it seemed both of my groups were at risk of not making the Charlotte-Aruba connection, my travel gal Debbie was already burning up phone lines and the internet trying to get our group booked on the next available flight, or re-routed so they arrived in Aruba as close as possible to the originally scheduled time. As I mentioned, one group made the connection but, had they not, Contingency Plan B was already solidly in place. The other group, of course, had to resort to the Plan B.

The alternative would’ve been to rely solely on the airline to handle re-bookings which would’ve meant a mad-dash to the nearest ticket counter to stand in line with 150 of your closest friends, or furiously dialing cell phones, or tapping madly on a tablet or laptop to get rebooked online.

Maybe you’d be satisfied, maybe not.

When hard-working folks have earned a luxury vacation, they move into kicked-back, relaxed mode once they settle into their business class seats and take their first sip of champagne. The real world and its associated hassles is the last thing they care to deal with when they’re in a “pamper me” mindset.
And that’s the way it should be!

They certainly don’t want to do the rebooking, rerouting, reorganizing and re-everything they have to do in their normal business travels when bad weather, broken parts or missed connections occur. This was a well-earned vacation, after all.

On the ground in Aruba, we were also aware that dinner reservations at the Aruba property needed to be made well in advance. (There is no walk-up, “Smith, party of four” and a 20-minute wait in the bar. No reservation, no dinner. Period.) We immediately reworked their dinner reservations, adjusted the seating time in accordance with their new ETA the following day, rescheduled ground transportation from the airport in Aruba to the resort property, and rescheduled the off-site excursion they would have missed.

All’s Well that Ends Well … Right?

The point is, somebody was working madly behind the scenes to “adjust the sails” so our travelers could stay as close to their “pamper me” mindset as possible. And it worked. Despite the crooked route to One Happy Island, those delayed were still jovial and in high spirits when they finally arrived because they knew their needs were being handled.

When “stuff” hit the fan, our corporate incentive travel agent went into what I call “service recovery mode” vs. rolling the dice and hoping the airlines would do the right thing.

And because they’d lost a night on the front end, we worked things out so their stay would be extended an extra night. Nobody got short-changed and, yes, all’s well that ends well.

Well … almost.

In a decidedly cruel twist of fate, three of the couples were again delayed by a mechanical on the return leg of the incentive; taking off five hours late and having to overnight in Charlotte before hopping a final flight home that arrived at dawn on Monday morning … just about the time they were expected to be back on the job pounding the pavement.

Some would call this a miserable experience, others would simply roll with the punches (fortunately my group did). But trust me, without the expert knowledge and dedication of a corporate travel agent, who is a true travel professional, pulling strings behind the scenes, the experience would’ve been far worse.

Keep that in mind next time airlift is part of your program.

CONCLUSION

For your next corporate incentive travel program, lean on the expertise and dedication of a corporate travel agent, who is a true travel professional, to deliver a superior guest experience.

Until next time!

Related Posts:

• It’s All About the Destination – 1st Quarter
• Best Incentive Program Destinations for April, May, and June
• Top Destinations for July, August, and September Incentive Programs
• Unique Incentive Programs for October, November, and December

The post Flight Turbulence Isn’t Always Confined To The Skies! appeared first on dynami.